Simone Ashley cut from Brad Pitt’s 'F1' as director confirms her storyline was removed

Simone Ashley, best known for her breakout role in Bridgerton, won’t have the screen time fans expected in Brad Pitt’s upcoming Formula 1 film F1. Despite being part of the film’s promotional buzz and having filmed scenes alongside the main cast, Ashley’s role was trimmed down to a blink-and-miss appearance with no dialogue.

Director Joseph Kosinski confirmed the change, stating that the edit came down to tough decisions made during the final cut. Speaking in an interview, he said, “Every movie has more content than it can use. We had to drop two or three storylines for pacing. Unfortunately, Simone’s was one of them.”

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Director praises Ashley but fans question repeated sidelining of actors of colour

Kosinski was quick to express admiration for Ashley, calling her “an incredible talent, actress, and singer” and adding, “I’d love to work with her again.” Still, the move has reignited conversations around how actors of colour are often given prominent placement during production and marketing, only to be cut back when the film is finalised.

Ashley has not directly commented on the cut since previews began, but earlier this year, she acknowledged that her role was “very small.” She said, “I’m just grateful to be in that movie. I got to experience many Grands Prix. I don’t think I’ll ever do anything like that again.” She also shared that the filming process felt like live theatre, given how tight and chaotic the schedule was while shooting during actual races.

Director Joseph Kosinski says Ashley’s storyline was cut for pacing and time constraintsGetty Images

The incident has drawn comparisons to Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto’s reduced screen time in Top Gun: Maverick, also directed by Kosinski. Jacinto’s part was heavily promoted but eventually cut down to a wordless cameo. Critics have noted a troubling pattern where actors of colour are regularly used for marketing but sidelined in final edits.

While F1 continues to generate buzz ahead of its 27 June release, Ashley’s reduced role can be seen as emblematic of the industry’s ongoing issues with representation and why more inclusive stories need to come from within.